Energy - star home appliances

I go for them, because well I want to see our gas and electricity bill go down. Unfortunately for us, my husband has als and he has a special mattress that requires that it be plugged into the wall, and we have the fan going because he gets too hot, our refrigerator is going so we have to unplug it every two or three weeks to de-ice it, we do not have a cloths line outside (his idea) and my money is budgeted elsewhere. Until recently we kept the laptop plugged in all night as he needed it because he has a special program that helps him type using a special dot placed on the nose (hands do not work) but now he is bedridden and his neck muscles are almost gone so he cannot move his head. I do love the energy saving and we bought them to save us money not to help the government or to save the planet.

I'm not a American citizen, but my country has classified the home appliances according to the energy cost and efficiency too. Unfortunately, we don't have governmental compensation like you. But I'll choose the low energy cost products if their price are acceptable, even if they might be a bit more expensive than normal ones.

I do the energy saving appliances only when my old ones die. I do feel it helps, but i can not replace just to replace.